Shillong: India’s men’s cricket team enters Thursday’s Asian Games semifinal against a second-string Sri Lanka side with little practice. Heavy rain in Nagoya stalled their training since arrival. The team finally secured a proper practice session on Wednesday as skies cleared. The weather forecast looks steady for both Thursday and Friday.
Rain remains a persistent threat. The final on Saturday faces potential disruption, forcing teams to watch the clouds. All four quarterfinal matches were abandoned earlier in the tournament. Consequently, teams advanced based solely on their current ICC rankings. None of the four remaining teams have played a single ball in this competition.
India remains the heavy favorite for the gold medal. Captain Shreyas Iyer leads a full-strength squad, though some rust is expected. "Back-to-back T20 World Cup champions India are overwhelming favourites for the gold medal," according to tournament analysts. The other bracket pits Pakistan against Bangladesh.
Moisture from recent downpours will likely leave the pitch slow and sluggish. If rain forces a washout on Thursday, India advances to the final as the top-ranked side. India holds the number one ranking, while Pakistan sits sixth, Bangladesh eighth, and Sri Lanka ninth.
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